In a world that constantly rewards movement, productivity, and performance, stillness can feel unfamiliar. We rush from responsibility to responsibility, trying to keep up, hold everything together, and do our best for God and for others. But sometimes, in all of that doing, we forget the one thing that matters most: being with the Lord.
This message is an invitation to pause, breathe, settle your heart, and remember that the presence of God is not far away. He is near. He is speaking. And He is calling us closer. When we make room for stillness, we begin to hear Him more clearly and receive His Word more deeply.
Luke 10:38–42 — Martha, Mary, and the Better Part
In Luke 10:38–42, Martha is remembered for her hospitality and service. She works hard to honor Jesus in the best way she knows how. Yet in the middle of all her effort, anxiety begins to crowd her heart. Mary chooses something different. She sits at Jesus’ feet, listens to His words, and receives from Him. Martha becomes frustrated that Mary is not helping, so she asks Jesus to correct her sister. But instead, Jesus gently corrects Martha.
The Lesson: Presence Before Performance
There is so much to learn from these verses. We often think we are right in our assessment of ourselves and others, and we assume God agrees with our conclusions. But God sees with perfect truth. Jesus acknowledges Martha’s sincere effort, yet He points out that she is worried and distracted by many things. Mary, on the other hand, has chosen the better part by prioritizing her relationship with Him. This reminds us that while service matters, communion with God must come first. Presence must come before performance.
It is easy to get caught up in doing for the Lord while slowly neglecting time alone with Him. We can become so focused on responsibility, ministry, and expectations that we forget the value of simply sitting at His feet. Stillness is not laziness. It is surrender. It is trust. It is where our hearts are realigned in the presence of God.
This truth is echoed again in Mark 4:13–20, where Jesus teaches the parable of the sower. The seed is the Word of God, and the soil represents the condition of our hearts. The power is in the seed, but the soil must be open to receive it. Jesus explains that distractions, worries, pressure, and the cares of this life can choke the Word before it takes root and produces fruit. But when the heart hears and receives the Word, it becomes fruitful. This is why stillness matters: it creates room for God’s truth to settle deeply within us.
The Point: A Fruitful Heart Receives the Word
So, it is not MORE work, but less. Less cares, less weeds, less rocks, less thorns, less hard ground.
A fruitful life is not built by striving harder. It is formed by making room for God. Often, it takes less—not more—to bear fruit: less noise, less distraction, less offense, less approval-seeking, and less anxiety crowding the heart.
When we allow God to clear away the weeds, rocks, and thorns in our hearts, His Word can grow freely. The less clutter we carry spiritually, the more room there is for His peace, His correction, and His blessing.
If you have been carrying too much, if your thoughts have been racing, if you have been trying to do everything and hold everything together, this is your reminder that God never asked you to live disconnected from His presence. He wants your heart before He wants your hands. He wants your attention before your activity. He wants relationship, not just routine. As we move through this time together, ask the Lord to show you the places where worry has crowded out worship, where distraction has weakened devotion, and where He is gently calling you back to His feet.
The Lord is not asking you to prove your love by exhausting yourself. He is inviting you to abide. Martha loved Jesus, but she became troubled by many things. Mary loved Jesus too, and she chose the one thing that could not be taken from her—His presence. That same invitation is open to you today. No matter how full your schedule is or how loud the demands around you may be, there is still room to sit with Him, listen to Him, and let Him steady your soul.
So today, choose the better part. Choose presence over pressure. Choose listening over rushing. Choose the quiet place where God can speak to you again. Maybe that looks like five minutes in prayer before the day begins. Maybe it means turning off the noise and opening your Bible. Maybe it means releasing the need to fix everything and simply saying, “Lord, I am here.” However, it looks for you, let your heart become good soil again ready to hear, ready to receive, and ready to bear fruit.. Pull up the weeds. Lay down the worries. Break up the hard places. And receive what God is saying.
You do not have to force fruitfulness; you simply have to remain near the One who makes all things grow. Remember one of the most powerful things you can do is simply be still and know that He is God.
Marguerite Wafula